About Us
Pear Tree Nursery and Pre-School is part of Lower Covey Ltd. Pear Tree was established in 2016 by Julie Partridge, Owner and Manager of Lower Covey Montessori Nursery in Yetminster, so that she could share her 30 years of childcare experience within the Sherborne community. Since opening, Pear Tree has grown into a well-respected asset within the area with excellent links to health visitors, schools and other local services. Following the EYFS 2021 (Early Years Framework Stage), we strive to offer the children many diverse activities within nursery, and regular outdoor learning opportunities in our playground, at Sherborne Primary Sensory Garden, by visiting the woods in Yetminster for Forest School and other local trips to parks and the library, which are all linked to the children’s learning.
We aim to achieve a friendly home-from-home atmosphere with excellent relationships between nursery staff and our children’s family or carers, whilst at the same time promoting the children’s independence and helping them to grow into confident, thoughtful, pre-schoolers, ready for the transition on to primary school.
We are pleased to offer places to children utilising all types of Government funding. To find out if your child is eligible for funding, please visit the Government website https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds. Should your child be eligible, you would be able to use that funding at Pear Tree for either our morning session (8.45-11.45) or our afternoon session (13.00 until 16.00). Any wrap around sessions that you book outside of those hours, including our lunchtime session (11.45-13.00) will incur a charge. There will be a snack and consumables charge for each morning and afternoon session that you book. For more information about all our fees, please click on Enrolment & Forms.
Testimonials
Our time with Pear Tree Nursery was a huge positive from our first 18 months as parents. We felt that the whole team understood how big a decision it was for us to send our daughter to nursery from 6 months old for 3.5 days a week. From the outset we received friendly, prompt and very helpful communication; our daughter always really enjoyed nursery and she built a lovely bond with each member of the Butterfly team. This helped make a change in key person during her time there completely seamless. We loved that we always felt so involved in her day through the updates and photos on the Famly app, as well as the excellent handover conversations at pick-up time. It felt like a genuine collaboration in providing the best possible experience for our daughter.
The whole Pear Tree experience was really good value for money - the team are well qualified and very positive, there is real diversity in the activities they do and lots of planning goes into the weekly topics. We could not recommend the Pear Tree Nursery any more highly. Leaving (due to relocation) was very emotional for us all, which I think highlights the passion and care which they showed to our daughter and us, as parents!
Peter and Katrina Roberts 2023
Dear Stef, Jamie and all of the staff at Pear Tree,
There are just not enough words or superlatives to express our sincere thanks for all you have done in supporting Theodore. But we will try and find some.
He has made exceptional progress whilst in your care. He has always felt supported, safe and encouraged by you all. You have been proactive and dedicated in supporting his ever changing needs. Even at his most challenging you worked alongside us and him, with enthusiasm, empathy and optimism. It is a testament to Pear Tree's strong inclusive values and procedures that Theodore starts school with an EHCP in place. The thorough school transition you organised means Theodore leaves you excited and prepared to begin school. Yet the daily care, expectation and patience you have shown means he also goes with a slightly heavy heart at leaving such strong relationships behind. This combination, in our eyes, proves exactly how you keep each child at the centre of all you do!
You have always made our family feel welcomed. Your subtle check-ins around Fathers Day and all the various activities we see in the photos around different families may seem small, but to us they are huge! They make a difference, YOU make a difference.
Love from, Jess & Luka Babiy (September 2023)